Poker is a card game played around the world. The rules and variations vary depending on where you are playing, the number of players, and the type of game you are playing.
The object of the game is to make the best hand. The best hand is the highest ranking five-card hand possible at a given time. This can be achieved by holding different suits, or by a “backdoor flush”.
All poker hands are composed of five cards. A straight is five cards in sequential order, a flush is all cards of the same suit, and a five-card hand in any order. If more than one player has a five-card hand of any rank, the higher card wins.
The first round of betting involves a blind. This is a mandatory bet for the player to the left of the dealer button. This bet can either be a forced bet (ante), or it can be a bet made voluntarily by the player.
The second round of betting involves a raise. This bet is a bet made by the player who matches the previous bet. When this bet is made, all but one player is expected to fold.
The last round of betting is a showdown. This is when the cards are revealed, and the winning hand is decided. The person who holds the highest hand at the end of the round collects the pot.
The earliest known version of poker is probably the French game poque, which evolved from a 17th-century version of primero, a Spanish game. The game was then taken to the New World via the French settlers and the German pochen.